Man United bidder Sir Jim Ratcliffe eyes Graham Potter to take the top job at Nice

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to be eyeing a move to install Graham Potter as head coach at his Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, according to reports. 

The Ineos Group billionaire is the frontrunner to take over Manchester United after submitting his final bid for the club at the end of April, but his first order of footballing business this summer will be a changing of the guard at his Riviera side. 

After Nice dismissed former head coach Lucien Favre in January, reserve coach Didier Digard was handed the interim reins for a brief period before being appointed to the role permanently. 

But the French club have struggled for consistency as the season draws to a close, currently sitting eighth and out of reach of the European places. 

Les Aiglons were also knocked out of the Europa Conference League in late April’s quarter-finals by FC Basel. 

Graham Potter is said to be a top candidate in line for the top job at Ligue 1 side OGC Nice

Head coach Didier Digard’s days on the Riviera may be numbered, after taking over in January

As per Nice-Matin, Favre’s days at the clubs may be numbered. 

Potter has been out of work since his abrupt sacking last month and the Chelsea boss has been hesitant to move on quickly. 

After Leicester sacked Brendan Rodgers, he was heavily linked to the Foxes before the eventual appointment of Dean Smith, and Potter’s name has been mentioned in connection with West Ham should they decide to move on from David Moyes this summer. 

The former Brighton manager is said to be favoured by Ineos’ Director of Sport Dave Brailsford, who would be interested in installing a British manager at the Cote d’Azur club. 

Thiago Motta, who manages Serie A side Bologna, is candidate to take over from Digard preferred by Ineos Sport’s chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc – but as the former Paris Saint-Germain player is in contention to take over from Christophe Galtier should the former Nice manager be handed his marching orders in the French capital, Potter may have the edge. 

Dave Brailsford (left) is keen to convince his boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) of Potter’s suitability

The 47-year-old will no doubt wish for a change of scenery after a torrid nine months in west London. 

Potter’s stint in charge of Chelsea saw the manager record the worst points-per-game tally of any Chelsea coach the Premier League era as he grappled with a lack of pre-season, a burgeoning injury crisis that saw him without starters including Reece James, Ben Chillwell and Thiago Silva, and an ever-growing squad bloated with transfers from the January window. 

His reign at Stamford Bridge was succeeded by an astonishingly brief turn from his assistant Bruno Saltor before Frank Lampard was parachuted in to oversee the remainder of the team’s 2022/23 campaign. 

Former Tottenham and PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino is said to be waiting in the wings to join the Blues at the end of the season.